How risk perception of natural hazards influences the content of risk and vulnerability analyses and the implementation of risk reduction measures

Regulation in Norway states that municipalities have to conduct comprehensive risk and vulnerability analyses (RVAs) for their activities and areas of responsibility. The RVAs should be important tools in the effort to provide safe communities at the local level. However, the RVA documents are not results of mechanical assessments. The subjective judgement of risk is significant. The perception of risk influences judgements, and that elucidates the practical dimension. To be more precise, it can influence whether risk reduction measures are implemented or not. In this paper, we examine how natural induced hazards were perceived in three municipalities in Norway. Risk perception includes several perspectives. We focus on elements within the psychometric paradigm and some characteristics of those who perceive risks. The paper concludes with the pivotal force that personal experience provides. Personal experience influences risk perception most of all in the municipalities under study.